Consecrated to the Heart of the Redeemer under the patronage of the Theotokos and Fr. Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J.

29 September 2013

GOD: Good Orderly Direction

Patient readers, thank you for your patience during the recent stylistic modifications on this blog. I think I have settled upon the colors and fonts. You may call it "something old, something new, everything borrowed, nothing blue." (Save for the blue Google widget -->)

For any of you whose "brick and mortar" locations are close to Holy Guardian Angels Parish, here is a commercial for our annual Forty Hours Devotion. As the linked article explains in good detail, "Forty Hours" is a sacred moment for our parishioners and the larger community to renew our devotion to our Eucharistic Lord. He has made Himself available to us in this Sacrament as our true Food and Drink. Adoration increases our hunger to receive Him worthily and often. On Sunday, 29 September, Monday, 30 September, and Tuesday, 1 October, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed after Mass until 7pm each night, when we will offer Evening Prayer with Benediction. Fr. Eugene P. Ritz, Chaplain of Berks Catholic High School, will preach every evening. Please join us--if not in person at the evening services or anytime throughout the day for a Visit, then consider devoting a period of 15 minutes or more to silent prayer whenever you can.

"I will wait, I will wait for you" (Father and Son)

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If there’s one
thing most of us love to give but hate to receive, it's advice. Very
easily we of inflated ego may feel that others try to run our lives, or
consider us incompetent. Maybe they do; but that’s not our problem. Our problem
may be a difficulty with being open to new opinions, suggestions, or
procedures. That’s an awful problem to have!

It was
Israel’s problem, according to the prophet Amos. He paints a portrait of corporeal
corporate types, "fat cats" fond of their own comfort. As a jazz fan, I don’t
quite understand Amos’ problem with people “improvising to the music of the
harp, devising their own accompaniment." I suppose the grand scene is what the sacred author wants to impress upon us: complacent comfort-seekers unfazed by the chaotic collapse of their land, the
physical and moral distress of the people. There is an obvious parallel with
the Gospel, in which an unnamed rich man was condemned for casually neglecting a
poor man in his field of vision, and this despite warnings: if the warnings did
not come from someone else, because there wasn’t a prophet around, then perhaps
they came from within, if the rich man still had a working conscience. Not to
have a well-formed conscience—or to have a well-formed conscience but not to
act upon it—this is the earthly beginning of the eternal hell that Jesus describes, the torment from
which He wants with all His Heart to deliver us!

In Pope Francis’ recent interview, he urged pastors and preachers to
consider marriage and family matters in perspective. Along those lines, this weekend’s readings remind us not to ignore other Catholic social teachings,
such as the solidarity or common friendship of all people—a bond solidified in
Our Savior’s redemptive sacrifice on mankind’s behalf (cf. CCC 1939). This word
first pertains to the leaders of a people, who are in the best position to
notice and address human needs, even as they may have the greatest risk of
losing touch and becoming oblivious to those needs. It applies all the more to religious and spiritual leaders in their responsibility to impart truth with love. But all people can become leaders in their own right by a steadfast pursuit of virtue, adherence to sound teaching, and prompt response to the concerns they encounter each day.

But a good
leader needs a good cabinet; that brings us back to the first point about
advice. The humility to seek and take good direction is paramount for the mature human being and follower of Christ. St. Timothy had St. Paul, and took
Paul’s direction seriously. The rich man…well, remember he was a fictional
character in a parable; but Jesus was really speaking to the Pharisees. Whom
did they have? According to the parable, the Pharisees had their religious pedigree--Abraham, Moses, and
the prophets--and we can presume that they weren’t paying too much attention to
them. Whom do you have? A faithful Catholic draws from Sacred Scripture, the
Church’s tradition and teaching authority, a well-formed conscience, and worthy
relationships.

Above all, and
through all, you and I have Jesus Himself. Let’s not forget that His grace
enables our attempts and facilitates our successes. But He is infinitely more
than a lecturer, a mentor or a coach: He is our Savior. United to Him, and
attentive to His promptings to worship and service, we can assist others along
the Way of salvation.